Soul Identity
by HybridTrash13
Summary: After a good and long life Harry has finally died. Except that as always he's a trouble magnet and instead of dying he finds himself in yet another impossible situation. Really, he's eternally going to be "The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Conquer-Death"
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Soul Identity

 **Rating:** R

 **Warnings:** non-con/rape, shota/underage, human experimentation, torture, reincarnation, crossover, language, dimensional bullshit, magical bullshit, sharingan bullshit, general angst, genderqueer characters, characters with issues, loss of identity, probably bad(incorrect) Japanese/Romanji, alternate universe, MoD-Harry, pack dynamics, instinctive/animal behaviour in humans, Gender-Neutral Pronouns,

 **Pairings:** Kakashi/Obito(Harry), Gai/Rin

 **Summary:** After a good and long life Harry has finally died. Except that as always he's a trouble magnet and instead of dying he finds himself in yet another impossible situation. Really, he's eternally going to be "The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Conquer-Death"

 **Disclaimer:** J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter and Masashi Kishimoto owns the Naruto franchise. I'm only playing in the sandbox.

 **Notes:** Inspired by  New Identity in the Past by Dreamyin. Among a few other stories, although what ones those are you'll have to figure out by yourself.

As with Collared this is going to hopefully be the only Author's Note for the entire story. Which means yeah, those pairings are the endgame pairings and the only ones that are really going to get that much narrative focus/hints in the story. So yeah those warnings are going to cover the entirety of the story in the case of future content and the endgame. Also, as usual the characters may be a bit OOC but that's mainly because this is an AU. Also, clearly Obito is going to be different because he's now Harry.

Also, this is mostly experimental really.

* * *

Pain.

All encompassing pain was the first thing that Harry became aware of.

It was unexpected as well considering that the last thing that he clearly remembered was dying and now he was in incredible pain. Yet it wasn't quite as bad as when he'd been put under the Cruciatus. Yet still it pulled him down and overwhelmed him. It was so tempting to just slip away and fade beneath the pain but his instincts screamed at him to fight against that.

Above all Harry was a survivor.

After the Dursleys, After Hogwarts. He was a survivor.

So he forced himself to swim through the pain. To reach up and through the surface until he was standing on an inky black pool in an unfamiliar blank abyss.

' _Where? Where am I?'_ He wondered ignoring the pain that threatened to send him right back under the surface. He looked around trying to find anything even remotely familiar, there was nothing. _'Wh-What is this place?'_ he wondered hands coming up to clutch at his head as he began to panic.

Unexpectedly there was a wave of something that slammed into him and he yelped as his life, as his memories flashed rapidly across his vision. Cooking for the Dursleys, Learning that he was a Wizard, Fighting Voldemort, Dying with the expectation of seeing his family and friends again...

So why was he here?

An image of the reaper crossed his vision and he blinked reaching out to grip it. Except that it disappeared under another wave and rush of sensation and memories. All mixed together.

A different life. And he couldn't make any sense out of it. The sheer amount of memories pushed him down, his own memories not helping as he sank into the black water once more. Except that he couldn't allow himself to sink and he pushed right back.

Against the flow of memories he received snippets of clarity. Faces, blond hair and blue eyes that got meshed with the image of Neville standing tall and proud after the battle. A girl that made him feel warm, a boy who's presence in the snippets seemed to match Draco and Ron simultaneously. Yet he couldn't make sense out of the images, or even keep them in order.

He could feel his magic as well, it was screaming at him in panic trying to get him back to full consciousness. Allowing it to pull him along he slowly awoke to darkness. There was something on top of him, pinning half of his body to the ground.

He wanted to scream but there was no air in his lungs to do so. Instead he found himself panicking, he'd already died.

Now he was dying again.

Except that he was stubborn and he didn't allow himself to drift back into what must have been the mindscape. Rather he clung to life and desperately tried to figure out some way to escape from beneath whatever it was that kept him pinned. Nothing came to mind and as he got more and more desperate he was surprised to feel himself slipping.

Sliding right through the ground and he landed with a groan.

Footsteps echoed and his magic was still screaming. But he couldn't pull it up, couldn't reach out and touch it even as it sank into his body. There was a voice and then he released his hold on what remained of his consciousness, unable to cling any longer.

* * *

The following days(?), weeks(?), months(?) were spent in a haze of agony and terror. The person who'd picked him up was horrible. They would trap him in illusions that made him feel safe and then tear them apart or throw something horrible at him.

The body he resided in had also been experimented on, the crushed right side taken apart before being pieced back together. There hadn't even been any painkillers or numbing treatment used and it had been absolute agony, also his magic had lashed out, which meant that he now temporarily wore cuffs while confined in this laboratory place. He couldn't use his magic outside his body, so it focused on his internal systems.

His eyes had healed, the missing left one grown back it seemed and everything felt weird. He knew that a lot of things had changed and was only minutely glad that he was still a boy. Still male, but trapped here he really, really wanted to curse death.

Because why hadn't he just died and even now the boy's memories were too confusing and disorganized for him to make sense of. He had the suspicion that many of them were missing or locked away as well. His own memories also seemed weird, as if they weren't quite real.

Being trapped and confined to a cage did not help at all, especially because the one who held him prisoner had others here. He could hear them in the night(?), day(?) screaming, begging and pleading to be released. Many of them also screamed and cried for someone to stop, and no don't.

He dreaded to hear those screams because it was harder for him to ignore. It would cause him to want to leap from the cage and rescue the others. To get them all out and free. Except that he couldn't still to weak and helpless unable to access his magic. He wished that he knew how to fight, or use some kind of muggle method to escape. Except that he couldn't.

At the sound of footsteps he pressed himself back against the wall of his cage and glared darkly at the figure that stood there.

His captor who wore a huge grin and wielded a giant needle. And a plate of food. His stomach grumbled and he felt like cursing it. He was starving but accepting the food would also allow the man to do what they wanted with him. The could use the needle and alter his DNA once more. Or they could push him down and...

His mind blanked and he curled hands into fists. Damn the cuffs on his wrists even as he glared at the man.

"Hungry kid?" they laughed and he bared his teeth, canines more like fangs now. If they came any closer he would bite them consequences be damned. "C'mere!" they reached towards him and as he'd promised himself he bit down on their hand making them scream even as he instinctively knew what else he could do.

He jumped and with a spin the man was the one in the cage and he was out. He barely paused before he was running his mind racing. He had not planned that though, so quickly ran out of steam somewhere in the tunnels. Panting he walked a bit slower trying to orientate himself.

Where was he?

Why was here and how was he supposed to get out. And, when he was out where was he supposed to go? He didn't know even as he simply walked down the seemingly endless tunnels and hoped that the madman took a while to get out of the cage to chase after him.

Eventually the smell of antiseptic reached his nose and he turned his head in that direction before slowing down and walking towards it. He peered around a corner and stared into a second lab. On the table there was another kid, only a bit younger than this new body.

They were cut open and he could see their heart as it beat, their lungs filling with air and emptying. He could see that they were still alive, see that they were in agony. He could hear their breathing and see the way that their fists clenched. Seeing it made him incredibly uncomfortable, especially because he could remember being in the same kind of position.

How could he fix this? How could he help them? He wanted so desperately to help them but he was completely clueless and had the feeling that anything that he done now would only make it worse.

There was a crash and screaming filled the air from the tunnel behind him. He jumped and stumbled into the room and the other's eyes snapped open meeting his own. In that moment he was lost even as the madman reached them. He had to help, but was unable to as he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and then slammed right back into the darkness.

* * *

Waking up once more he was chained down to a bed. Wrists bound together over his head with the chains cutting into bare flesh. The second thing that immediately caught his attention was his lack of clothing. Even if normally he didn't have much to cover him up he could at least count on the torn clothes that he'd been found in to be covering him.

So to be without them left him more vulnerable than he'd been for a while. Even in the cage, or on the operating table he'd never felt more vulnerable.

His eyes scanned the area but couldn't locate anyone in sight at all. That just made him more nervous, he was naked and chained down. That was never a good mix. He'd learnt that much working as an Auror on the force, and even the body's few memories clearly showed that it wasn't the best position to be in.

Except those few brief glances were only enough to make him more scared and nervous. He wanted to go home, although where home was couldn't be defined by his mind. Was it Hogwarts? Britain? This new world?

He shivered and tugged with his arms a bit trying to slip from the chains. Nothing, they didn't give in the slightest and he frowned. That was when he heard the laugh and his head snapped up. Standing right there was the man, blood splattered and with a huge grin. The needle still rested in their hands and he shivered once more.

This was not going to be fun.

He tried again to tug himself free but the chains prevented any sort of escape. He mentally cursed the weak thirteen year old body as the man stalked forwards grin widening when they saw the fear that he seemingly had. He wanted to scoff, he wasn't scared not really. So instead he simply glared at the man, mismatched eyes promising retribution for this.

That only made them laugh more before they smirked at him moving a single hand to rest on his still scarred cheek. His entire body tensed as the man spoke.

"Trying to escape were you. Naughty, naughty!" it was mocking and he growled before yelping as he felt the needle pierce his skin. It was fire burning through his veins and he felt like screaming even as the man began to stroke his cheek.

What kind of new punishment was this?

He whimpered, his body felt as though it was been torn apart again, from the inside out. Whatever had been in the needle was immediately equated to the Cruciatus but in liquid form. The only relief that the focus on the pain gave him was that he could ignore what else the man was doing to him.

Or at least he could for the most part. The sensation of hands on his body was still there though, along with the heat and pain, and the feel of the man's mouth biting into him. Dulled and distant, background noise caught up in the fire burning him up.

And then, there was his magic flowing free. It thrummed and pulsed and he reached, wrapping it around himself. There was a familiar twist and pattern and with the well remembered pop and pressure he apparated.

The landing was rough but he was free... And covered in the blood of the man who he'd inadvertently splinched. A dark grin crossed his face, ' _the madman deserved that'_ he glowered before pushing himself up to stand. He was still completely bare, yet it was easy enough to find some clothing.

Not that far away was a caravan. It was abandoned and kind of broken as though it had suffered under a siege but there was clothing that he could use and that fit him within. He also decided to rest curled up within the caravan closing both eyes and trying to ignore the lingering feeling of fire in his blood.

He wanted his goggles back. And mentally he remembered the summoning charm before calling them, as soon as the familiar orange tinted goggles appeared in his hands he pulled them on and down over his eyes before curling up once more.

Settled and feeling relatively safe he drifted off. Visions of riding broomsticks, his parents and throwing out giant fireballs dancing in his head.

He was nameless.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up the scarred boy rolled and blinked his memories even more mixed up and confusing. He wasn't entirely sure where he was, only that it was for the moment safe. So he yawned and stretched out across the floor and then rolled over onto all fours before sitting up. Then he pushed himself into a seated position and sort of flopped a bit resting his head on one shoulder and leaning ever so slightly to the side.

It's entirely too quiet really but the boy barely registered that. He was too calm and relaxed. Finally free his mind was now more interested in the magic that spun in his body, and the air. And, on trying to sort through his chaotic memories.

The ones that belonged to the part of him that was a wizard. And the ones that belonged to the part that was a shinobi.

Neither set felt entirely as though they were his. Or that they were even real. How could he trust his own mind, how could he trust anything that he remembered. He was free but at the same time still trapped and caged, with cuffs on his wrists and a cage around his soul.

Who was he?

He shook his head and shook away the thoughts and memories. He had more pressing worries. Such as the other children still trapped in the lab, such as the fact that his magic now flowed freely. Such as the fact that everything in him wanted to go home but he couldn't quite place where home was. Vague emotions said Hogwarts, but what was Hogwarts? A school? A place? He didn't know anymore.

Faces flickered across his vision, a girl with bushy hair a smile and a book open in front of her, a boy with ginger hair and freckles sitting in front of a chess board, a girl with the same ginger hair and a soft smile holding an infant... A blond man who seemed mismatched as though he were two in one, another brown haired girl but this one with purple rectangles marking her cheeks and finally a boy in a mask with silver hair.

It confused him more than anything so he primarily tried to focus on what he did know. Such as the fact that while this abandoned caravan had been safe for the night it wasn't the best place to permanently set up camp. Also the other children who still needed to be rescued. He growled and his fists clench once more.

The madman was dead but that didn't mean anything to those still trapped within the laboratory.

To the ones who he only knew existed because of the screams that he would hear while in his own cage. Except it was here that he stumbled upon another clear problem... He didn't actually know where he was aside from in a forest, so he didn't know how to find the laboratory again.

He couldn't rescue the others.

It made his chest tighten and he felt like screaming because that was wrong. It was _wrongwrongwrong_ and he clutched at his head. He was the Boy-Who-Lived, savior to the Wizarding World. Even if he didn't remember exactly what those titles meant he still remembered that they were his.

The madman could take away his name and identity, but they couldn't take those away from him. Not when they had been used more around him than his actual name had. Reminded him of the times when he'd been known as nothing more than Freak, or Boy... Maybe those were his names. They were things that he'd been called down in the lab anyway, and familiar from purple and red angry faces.

Out of the two, Freak felt only slightly more like a name so he decided that until he could recall his actual name(either of them) then it would be the one that he took.

That settled he looked over the area that he rested. Orange tinted his view but that was a relief even as he sorted through what he knew. He was outside and there was forest all around him. The caravan was broken, with no animals in sight and the clothing was in varying sizes but a fair amount of it could actually fit him without feeling as though he were drowning in fabric. Also, there were a few discarded weapons and splashes of blood on the ground that he'd missed from the night before.

No body parts lying around though so none of the blood belonged to his captor.

That only served to make him more nervous though, because it had been a long time since he'd been in such a situation. And that time he'd at least had some back up. And he'd been camping in a magical tent? There was some weird details there, he wasn't sure if it had been an assignment during his time as an auror or during the year of darkness.

So now he scanned the area body tense and everything in him alert. Nothing, there was no sign of anyone or anything in the woods. Not even the faint stirring of any animals. So with nothing in the range of his sight or hearing he stretched out with his magic.

Still nothing.

He stiffened and crouched a bit because that just made him feel a bit worse. He could feel a burning behind his eyes and everything sharpened. He could see faint dust particles in the air and the movement of every blade of grass and leaf on the trees. It was a bit of an overload and he grit his teeth trying to keep calm in the face of all the information that he was gathering just from what he could see.

Eventually he shut it off and shook his head. Memories of terminology filled his mind. _Chi, Ki, Chakra._ Spiritual Energy, or Chi, combined with Physical Energy or Ki, they make Chakra. Chakra can be used to fight using _ninjutsu, genjutsu_ and _taijutsu._ He blinked a bit overwhelmed by this new information being told to him by a strangely familiar voice. A flash of blond crossed his mind, with sharp blue eyes and he felt something in him ache.

Tears trail down his cheeks, one side scarred the other clear and he moved a hand to wipe them away. Why was he crying?

He sniffed a clutched at his shirt over his chest as other images and faces crossed his mind. A village. _Home._

It wasn't like Hogwarts with magic filling the halls but everything in this body screamed and cried that it was home. He wanted to go home, but he didn't even know where to begin and he also really, really wanted to help those who were still in the lab.

Except that he didn't know how to reach those back in the lab... Unless. He'd apparated yesterday. He recalled the feeling and recalled the images of the laboratory... Only after memorizing this location. Memorizing the caravan. Wrapping his magic around him he spun and popped back into existence standing in front of the cage that had been his home for who knows how long.

He glared at it before walking down the halls and listening. It was eerily quiet with absolutely no noise from anywhere.

It was unnerving and he felt almost like popping right back out. Except that there were still others down here. He'd heard them, seen them, been forced to fight them on a few more memorable occasions.

So he drew upon all of his Gryffindor courage and took a deep breath. Another, then a step. One foot in front of the other, he moved down the halls and tunnels. When he finally stumbled upon the others trapped there he let out a sigh of relief. For the most part they were actually not that far away from one another, not that far away from where he'd been kept. It was actually kind of surprising really. Everyone was kept separate, but still incredibly close.

All of them were just as on edge as he was. But when he offered freedom they practically leapt for it. Eager to see the sky again and feel the wind in their hair and on their skin. Some of them though were only able to achieve freedom through death. Too changed and altered by that madman's twisted experiments.

Kids with missing body parts, swapped parts, or one who was more tree than human. One with dog ears and a girl with the tail of a fox. Kids more animal than human and there were those who begged for death. Death that he found all too easy to grant.

It was so simple to just take away their lives, without even leaving any marks on their bodies. Death simply heard his call and took them away.

It scared him and comforted him in equal measure even as he finally stumbled into the last room. To see the last cage. The last person trapped here, red eyes glittered in the darkness glaring at him. He froze, the reflection of a pale face with a missing nose. A sneer and narrowed eyes, wands raised.

Ready to fight...

He shook his head and took a deep breath as the other child, only appearing to be five, maybe six came out of the shadows. The had messy pale blue hair and two furry triangle ears that poked out above their head. A tail swished behind them and they peered at him, those red eyes making him jittery.

Red eyes reminded him of the man who he'd killed. Destroyed, completely erased, and of spinning tomoe and a whisper of _sharingan, disappointment_. He shook his head and knelt down in front of the child.

"Are you okay?" his voice was quiet and the child sniffed the air, ears twitching visibly. "Do you want to continue living?"

"Of course I do!" they bared their teeth at him and he felt a bit embarrassed because he supposed that question was a bit stupid. Most of them there did want to continue living for the most part after all. The child's eyes narrowed at him and they snarled "Why do you care anyway?"

Everything about them was guarded and he paused trying to get his thoughts in order.

Before he could respond though a red haired child cut in and drawled out a response. "We're here to rescue you obviously." Ne waved nir hand in the air lazily and something in him twisted and a voice in his head whispered _troublesome._ "So do you want to be rescued or not..."

"No tricks?" the child seemed skeptical, but at the same time hopeful and he nodded his head. Their ears perked up and the fox tail wagged behind them. "Great! Just get me out of here then!"

He nodded his head and quickly moved to the lock before moving automatically and with a twist of his magic. The lock clicked and the door swung open. A blur and the child was clinging to him repeatedly thanking him and he didn't have a clue what to do.

"That's everyone now Alpha!" hearing that particular voice speak made him automatically shiver before he nodded his head. Sharp teeth glinted in the darkness and the scaled teenager stepped into view. "So now we're ready to leave right?" the crossed arms over their chest and he nodded his head slowly even as the five year old scrambled and shifted to attempt to sit on his back.

The child then peered over at the girl who simply grinned back with razor teeth before dropping the smile and focusing back on him.

He took a deep breath before releasing it and stretching out his senses. Six signatures aside from his own stood out light bright lights in the darkness. Six who had chosen to stick with him instead of running away and down the tunnel to new found freedom. Six who were going to rely on him and follow him to some new future.

The child on his back, the scaled girl, a boy with hair that was both brown and red at the same time, a Kaguya child, a lazy red haired boy, and a girl who had spikes in the back of her hands. They were who they were and now they were a pack.

"Before we leave, we're going to search for any records of our names..." he spoke softly the words barely filling the air.

"Right of course." the Kaguya child nodded their head before turning and walking back down the tunnel. The scaled teen quickly followed and he took several deep breaths before kneeling down beside the five year old they had just rescued.

Names were important, but so was making sure that the newest addition to their 'pack' was unharmed. The child blinked at him ears twitching and eyes shining. Even if they made him nervous he pushed past that and absently cast the single diagnostic spell that he was able to automatically recall.

It was one he'd used on many an Auror mission to check up on his comrades.

It also came back clean aside from a few bruises and malnourishment. Both problems easily solved with time and proper care. Relieved he sighed before standing back up, at least those problems were actually ones that he could solve without needing to constantly watch over the child to make sure they weren't going to cause a disaster.

Now he just needed to find the others, and hopefully their names.

Taking the child onto his back he turned and walked down the tunnel.

* * *

Sitting with his back against a cave wall Alpha stared out at the odd group that he'd gathered as his pack. In the end they had only found a few names.

Kaimetsu Zuken, who was originally from Kaosugakure where ever that was. Her green hair and dark eyes, with the spikes on her hands and a sneer on her face. He wasn't sure if she was happy with her name or not.

Nara-Uzumaki Zurasu, the red haired child was simply lazy and only sighed upon leaning nir name.

Kaguya Chinoke, who had already known their last name had simply glared before ruffling his hair.

Erika Freedom. Who had to explain that Erika was clearly their given name all the while scowling with duel toned(red and brown) hair flopping over.

Rhyli Indominus who had to explain the same thing as Erika before swearing and beginning to cure shinobi for even existing.

The child had simply been left nameless, and so had he. Nothing in the now abandoned and ravaged underground base had his name on it. So in the end the others had 'gifted' him with his new name; Alpha. Since he was more or less their leader anyway.

And, he'd been the one to pick out a name for the child. A name that had simply spoken to him and called out as the one that belonged to xem.

Elliot Kingston. Again using the Western Countries name ordering system.

Now the mismatched group simply rested in a cave not that far away from the Caravan that he'd originally found. It was a relatively secluded and peaceful spot and he found it relaxing to reside in. A nice place to rest and recuperate after the days(?), weeks(?), months(?) under the 'mercy' of the madman.

It was nice really and he closed his eyes absently listening to the pack around him.

He could get used to this...

Except that he still yearned for home. For his name(either or both), and to see his family again. Whoever they were.

* * *

 **Notes:** Okay, this will probably be the only other note that I will ever post for this. First of all these OCs will probably only really be predominant for a few more chapters, and then they'll sort of be nudged out of the picture.

Also on pronouns and character genders. Some of them may be a bit weird to understand or follow. But just for reference: xe/xem/xir/xirs/xemself means that I'm talking about Elliot and ne/nem/nir/nirs/nemself is Zurasu. Both are agender, and those are "neutral" pronouns. Also yeah this is just for quick clarification.


	3. Chapter 3

Alpha's eyes shot open and he launched upwards into a sitting position. His fists clenched and unclenched at his side as he stared blankly out into the rest of the cave. Into the empty air. His heartbeat pounded and he could feel the lingering pain from something on the top of his head.

Black hair and eyes of steel. A whispering curtain, NO! He felt like screaming but it got caught somewhere in his throat and he only ended up choking and gasping desperately for more air.

He curled into himself "no... NO. NO. No... SIRIUS! Sirius!" he choked over the name. And clutched at his chest a painful beat echoing in his head. Hate and rage, anger and sadness all swirled through him and tears ran trails down his cheeks.

Sirius! Sirius the name echoed in his head along with broken laugher and the image of a madwoman screaming that they had killed him. His eyes glowed red and emerald in the darkness and his tears slowed, he would kill them.

His fists clenched and he took a deep breath.

 _He. Would. Kill. Them._

Except they were already dead weren't they? He took another deep breath this one slightly shakier, he knew that they were already dead. Along with almost everyone else from that other life, other reality. He remembered dying... He remembered and closed his eyes trying to bring himself back to calmness.

Back to the cavern that he rested within. He opened his eyes once more and stretched out his other senses, both chakra and magic feeling for the rest of the pack in their own caves within the system.

They all felt at peace, as though still sleeping and he sighed. That was good, he really didn't want to worry them.

Slowly he stood up and dusted himself off before wiping away the lingering tears from his pale half scarred face. He shook his head and raked a single hand through his messy black hair before turning and walking out of his cave and through the tunnels to the entrance.

He paused for a brief moment there and just let the morning breeze play across his clothing and with his hair. He allowed it to greet him like a friend and let his mind pull up the image of the smiling man.

Of Sirius, who held an importance that he couldn't quite define. He just knew that the man was important to him and had been killed. It made him feel a sharp and aching pain, that clearly something was missing. A huge part of who he was lay in the forgotten dreams and memories, everything that the mad man had stolen from him.

Beyond the changes and alterations to his body. Beyond the magic that still thrummed and pulsed within him. Beyond the chakra that bound him to nature. Beyond all of that he knew that who he was lay in the missing pieces.

It frustrated him, because he still yearned to go home but without any direction he just drifted around the issue and remained where he was. He remained with those who needed him and who he'd grown to care for as his latest family. As his team even if that definition brought to mind silver and brown and blond. As his pack.

He was divided, very divided because he had glimpses and a handful of names. Only a few of those names had faces, Sirius, Gai, Voldemort _(EVIL)_ , Hagrid... Beyond those though he had nothing to cling to or give him any sense of who he must have been before.

What his name was. Either or both of them and it ached. Ate away in his mind whenever he closed his eyes and attempted to sleep. He desperately wanted at least a small piece of his identity back, whether it was the life that he'd lost, or the life that he'd gained. The pack could only help him so much.

It was appreciated but it wasn't what he really needed. And he knew looking out into the morning dawning over the forest that somewhere out there the answers lay. Somewhere beyond this small area of forest that the pack had secured. That the pack had claimed as their own for the better part of a month. It had been a month since their grand escape, and really at this point not much had actually happened or improved for them.

They had the cave, the forest, and the destroyed caravan. They also had each other of course, but that really didn't bear mentioning.

That was it, all they had.

It was enough, but it wasn't... Not with memories that danced just out of reach for all of them. It was infuriating at times, but at the same time. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath just feeling the light breeze against his face. It barely calmed his thoughts but it did clear his head just enough.

He opened his eyes back up and looked out over the relatively peaceful view of the forest. The only just waking forest really. Considering how early in the morning it was. None of the pack aside from him were awake. He'd let them sleep. They all deserved their sleep. Of course, that didn't mean that they would be asleep for that much longer.

He'd have to wake them soon enough. They would need to hunt, and scavenge for some food. And practice of course.

They needed to practice. He didn't quite know what for. Not really, he just knew that they needed to practice. To remain sharp and aware and ready. To know how to fight and defend themselves. He could feel his magic thrumming in agreement with this fact. He could feel his magic curl and echo with the need for control, and his chakra followed. Every instinct that he had warned him that he needed to know how to fight. That his pack needed to know how to fight.

So he followed them.

He was the Alpha, and not just because that was his new name. Not just because that was the position that his pack had given him.

He recalled leading. He recalled a war. He recalled having something like this position before. So it felt right... at the same time it felt wrong.

He took another deep breath, and closed his eyes crossing his arms over his chest to bask in the early glow of the morning. It would only be a short run before he'd return to wake the rest of the pack. To get them ready for the rest of the day. He opened his eyes back up and moved, bare feet barely touched the grass before he moved up a tree and he leapt as though gravity didn't apply.

It made his heart soar and his spirits fly. He no longer needs to worry or fear because he can feel the way that the forest calls to him. To the gift that he's been given. He can grant death sure, but he can also give life. He can feel that to his very bones as he dashed over the treetops. As he patrolled their forest. The pack's forest and made sure that nothing had been disturbed from the night before.

Everything was still the same. With maybe a few minor changes that he didn't really bother noting because they didn't matter. He eventually paused perched on a branch in one of the taller trees. He relaxed and gave a fanged grin to a bird that passed before simply running down the tree to peer into a nearby lake.

He still wasn't sure what to think of his appearance. Messy long spiky black hair, heterochromatic eyes, right onyx and left green hidden behind orange goggles. A face half scarred, whirling scars that tugged and pulled at the right side of his face. Yet each day those scars seemed to grow fainter, his magic working to fix them.

Oh he knew that they would never completely disappear, but they would eventually fade away to only just barely be visible.

Aside from that there were his teeth, still mostly the same except that his canines were enlarged, more curved as well. Fangs rather than mere canines. Also with just a twist of his magic, and a bit of will. Twin pointed ears flickered and poked out of his hair and a tail extended and waved behind him. Both features that he could hide should he wish to.

But why would he?

And why should he? He lived here peacefully with his pack. So what if he was so clearly changed, it's not like it really mattered. He huffed and pushed himself away from the lake and turned ready to run back and wake the rest of the pack. Yet there's something that gives him pause and he looked back into the water to try and determine what it was. Nothing, he shook his head and looked up at the sky.

He turned one last time, only hesitating for a moment before he dashed back through the trees and to the cave.

It's time for the pack to hunt, to get to their jobs and to train. It's time for the day to begin.

* * *

Typically, hunting is the earliest part of the packs day. As soon as everyone is awake Alpha moved to double check and make sure that they were ready. As always Rhyli was eager and Zurasu seemed to be rather done with the whole concept. Elliot stood ready by Chinoke, always hoping to just be included in one of the hunts.

"Be careful won't you..." Chinoke said and he nodded his head even as Zurasu yawned and waved off any of the concerns that Zucken was offering.

"Don't worry Chinoke-san. You just worry about keeping Elliot-kun safe." he reassured the older teen who frowned but nodded her head anyway. "Elliot, please listen to what Chinoke-san has to say."

"Okay..." the child grumbled and he offered as bright a grin as he could manage to xem for that before reaching out and ruffling xir hair much to xir protest. Xir ears also twitched and xe grinned up at him afterwards. "I can come on the next one though right?" xe had such wide eyes and Alpha had to shrug.

"We'll see Elliot. We'll just have to see." he turned around and grinned at the rest of the pack. At the members that were actually coming on the hunt with him. Zucken and Rhyli both looked different shades of eager while Zurasu still looked half-asleep. He'd be more worried about nem if he wasn't at least vaguely familiar with the concept that Naras were just like that. "Okay then, where's Erika?"

"Right here Alpha!"

Everyone looked up to see the boy standing upside down on a branch near the top of a tree. Which, while not unexpected caused various reactions from those down on the ground. From faint panic(Alpha and Chinoke) to laughter(Rhyli and Elliot) to a completely blank expression(Zucken) and a facepalm(curtsy of Zurasu)

"Uh... Alpha... I kind of have a problem..." Erika rubbed the back of his head and looked sheepish from his position upside down. "How do I get down?"

"Why do we keep him around again?" Zucken asked after hearing that while Alpha pushed up his goggles and pinched the bridge of his nose in a mixture of disbelief and frustration. Zurasu yawned from nir position beside her before looking up and shrugging.

The half Nara child gave another yawn before rubbing at one eye and then walking over to the trunk of the tree and walked up it casually. Ne crossed nir arms over nir chest and sighed as the upside down boy peered up with wide eyes. Confused eyes as the other crouched down and looked with half-lidded eyes at the shorter boy.

Ne sighed and with barely any effort reached down and then pulled the shorter child up to stand beside nem.

"We're all ready now..." ne said waving one arm lazily while Erika looked around with wide eyes before finally laughing.

"Ready Alpha!" he shouted jumping down to land with a light pouf beside Zucken. Zurasu on the other hand slid down the trunk and then walked over to join the rest of the group. "Let's go hunting!"

Alpha sighed and looked out over the group now that they were all gathered before throwing a hand up into the air and motioning for them to follow. They would remain grounded for the most part. Which meant a lot of running. They lost speed but it tended to work more to their favor really.

The entire group remained within sight of one another as they raced through the trees. Coming to a stop Alpha nodded his head and Zurasu moved into the lead. The lazy teen sniffed and looked around tilting nir head from the left and then to the right. Rhyli also moved closer to the front sharp teeth glinting in the small pieces of sunlight that poked through the branches.

This was the hardest part of the hunt really. Tracking down something that they could catch and use to sustain them. Or finding anything that they could chase. Zurasu tilted nir head one more time before abruptly straightening and pointing to the right diagonal.

"We got something..." ne said with a faintly sharp grin eyes now more narrowed rather than sleepy. "It's not a deer, so it's game!" ne added and Alpha nodded his head.

"Up!" he said and they all moved up into the trees to actually see if they could find it. "Follow..." he said and nodded at the Uzumaki-Nara child who winked one eye and then bounded forwards. It only took them a handful of moments to catch up to the creatures. They all rested in the trees to merely observe it for a few moments though Zucken had to grab Elliot before he leapt out and landed near them. "Goats..."

It had to be goats didn't it?

Alpha's eyes narrowed at the devil beast and he could feel his hands curl a bit. He didn't know why he hated the animal, they were good for both milk and meat after all. But he still had this hatred of them. A hatred that Zucken also shared. Also, for whatever reason the small creatures were some of the hardest prey to hunt.

Which meant that this would be a challenge.

Rhyli grinned from her place in a tree while Zurasu and Zucken both shifted a bit to peer at him. Erika merely shook in place. He tilted his head before flashing a grin and nodding. Rhyli grinned and then launched. There was a sense of doom that descended over the whole group minus Erika after she did so.

It was confirmed only moments later when the heard of goats reacted. Within moments Rhyli was knocked out and the goats had scattered. Alpha could only stare, while Zurasu from nir position nearby sighed and held a hand to the bridge of nir nose.

"Erika... FETCH!" He said looking over to the boy who straightened and then moved. There was a bleat and he nodded at Zucken and Zurasu. All of them jumped down to join their pack mates in cutting off one of the goats from the group. Which was honestly going a lot better than he'd expected. And then the goat rose it's head and blinked. "Shimatta!" it charged forwards and almost everyone got out of the way.

Erika didn't.

Erika also handled it moderately better than Rhyli did. With laughter and grabbing the goats horns to get tossed around a bit.

It turned into a bit of a comedy scene after that with Zucken jumping back in to try and retrieve Erika only to get tossed. Zurasu on the other hand had simply retreated up a tree and now lay on a branch watching. Alpha found that he was glad he'd kept his extras as it meant that his tail swished in annoyance and his right ear kept flickering.

Rhyli would wake up eventually, but for that moment it was a bit of a mess. A very large mess with one laughing red and brown haired boy in the middle. And the goat of course.

Alpha sighed again and opened his eyes back up. Then he reached up one hand and waved it in the air. Erika looked up and nodded his head before moving. And then he was right there tail sweeping through the air and fist flying forwards before the goat could even react.

It slammed into a tree and Erika was back on it in a moment. He looked away from the other boy and up into the trees at Zurasu who now had nir eyes closed and looked almost asleep. It made an ear twitch and mismatched eyes narrowed in irritation. Zucken saw his action and she blinked before following his gaze to the Nara-Uzumaki child and sighing.

"Zurasu!" she called and the lazy child simply rolled over a bit before cracking open a single eye and shrugging from nir positon. "Really? Don't worry Alpha, they're just being them!" That lead to a sigh from Alpha.

Before there was a cheer from Erika's direction and a howl of rage from Rhyli's. It would seem that things really were going about as well as they normally did on a hunt. Which was also signaled by Erika once more being sent flying overhead.

"Let's just finish the hunt okay?" Alpha said with a dull expression. "We'll need to catch at least three goats. So come on!" he clapped his hands together and with only a moments hesitation. "No holding back! Using chakra and special abilities is allowed..."

It was like throwing a switch as everyone froze in place and looked back at him. Even the goat seemed to freeze before it bleated. Yet now the game had changed. All of Erika's goofiness seemed to have dissolved, Zurasu was crouching on the branch with Zucken right by nem, both more focused. And Rhyli...

Rhyli had a sharp toothed grin that just promised chaos.

It was time for them to move. Alpha shifted his own stance just a touch. Legs further spread, tail stiff and ears pointing just a touch forwards. It was endgame now.

"GO!"


	4. Chapter 4

They returned back to the cave covered in dirt and more than a smidge of blood. Some of it was actually their own, not that any of them would admit that but... it was invigorating really. A thrill each and every hunt. Something that just felt right to them and Alpha always found that he never felt happier than coming back after a hunt.

To see Chinoke and Elliot right there waiting for them. To be surrounded by the rest of the pack with Erika spinning around happily, Rhyli carrying the prey that they had caught, Zurasu back to nir half-asleep state and Zucken walking along casually with hands behind her head. It was the best part of the day really and he never felt better. In these moments he didn't have to worry about his lack of memory or about his supposed previous lives. He only had to worry about coming home and feeling fulfilled.

And getting ready for training with the pack. And doing the clean up and then preparing for dinner.

So he grinned and waved happily at Chinoke, who looked about as impressed with their states as a black haired and black eyed man ever did in his memories. Honestly the man really looked like he needed to lighten up.

"We're back!" he cheerfully greeted as Elliot ran over to them tail rapidly spinning behind xem. "We ended up catching two goats and then got lucky with a boar!" Elliot looked up with such wide eyes filled with awe and he had to kneel down with a huge grin. "Anyway, so are you going to join us for training Chinoke-chan?" he asked looking up at her.

She had her arms crossed as she peered down at him. It seemed that she with in a mixture of judge and mother mode. His grin faltered for a moment as she turned and stalked back into the cave. It wasn't too unexpected really, she never seemed fond of the whole training to be ready for emergencies thing. But still, it made something in him hurt. He didn't know why, it just hurt a bit.

Elliot on the other hand looked eager and ready to join them for training. Fists clenched and eyes gazing up adoringly at him and the rest of the pack.

"What're we going to do today? More tree climbing?" the small child asked tail still spinning and he had to laugh at how eager the child was. "Or maybe you'll let me do some of those cool tricks you do. Like the fireballs?" xe sounded so hopeful even as Alpha's smile became a little bit more forced. The tricks that Elliot was talking about were actually jutsu. Half-remembered jutsu, but still jutsu. And a bit too chakra intensive for Elliot currently.

"Elliot, that's a bit advanced for you." Zurasu yawned from nir position leaning against Zucken who didn't seem to mind that the slightly taller child was leanding on her. If anything she seemed rather pleased by the development. "Maybe once you master both tree climbing and water walking you'll advance to trying some of those tricks." the smaller child puffed up and glared at nem.

Ne stared back with a blank expression and Elliot attempted to puff up even more only to fail and tumble over backwards. To which the half Nara rolled nir eyes and walked over to the five year old and scooped xem up.

"How's about we just get to our training?" ne asked and then turned to Alpha who blinked before straightening up and nodding his head. "Okay, Alpha... this is our game then."

"Yay! Tree tag right?" Elliot cheered and ne nodded nir head. "See you later Alpha!" the five year old called cheerfully waving at the boy who laughed and waved back until they bounded up through the canopy and landed in the clearing with the caravan still there.

Zurasu set Elliot down in front of nem and crossed nir arms over nir chest considering what to do. Elliot looked up at nem tail wagging eagerly behind xem as they waited for the Nara-Uzumaki teen to decide what they were both going to work on. What they were going to do and to focus on. The teen closed nir eyes for a moment and all was still. There was only the faint stirring of the wind and Elliot twitched because this was boring...

Elliot quickly jumped backwards spring boarding with xir hands before sliding across the dirt. Xe blinked rapidly at the other child's actions and stared at nir back. There was a small bit of laughter and then xe had to jump back again, and again, and then flip to land on a low branch.

"Focus... dodging is all and good. But, here we need to know what else to do. Focus your chakra to your feet, use it to propel yourself Elliot." Zurasu spoke as ne charged again and again, throwing a punch and then a kick, always making sure that Elliot could see them coming and dodge. "Use the land to your advantage, and your size."

Elliot grit xir teeth together and landed in a half crouch before swapping. This time instead of dodging the child hurtled xemself forwards and slammed straight into Zurasu who let out a small oof as ne was pushed backwards.

"Heh... Okay then." the Nara-Uzumaki crossed nir arms over nir chest and closed nir eyes. Ne laughed lightly before opening both eyes and grinning. "Ready. Start!"

They both danced around each other for a while. Elliot was rather awkward with xir attempts to hit Zurasu but at least neither of them were getting hurt. And then something else happened. Zurasu abruptly stopped and tilted nir head before scooping Elliot right up and leaping into a tree and kneeling there on the branch. Ne kept a hand over xir mouth and narrowed eyes at the winding path that lead through the territory.

It was another caravan. This one with people.

"We've got trouble..." Zurasu muttered under nir breath. Elliot squirmed in nir arms as ne grit nir teeth even more. "Those are shinobi... and they're not our friends." Elliot ceased xir squirming for a handful of seconds and simply stared. Xe had never heard the older child sound like that. Something was wrong and the child didn't know what.

What was wrong with Shinobi?

Alpha was a shinobi once wasn't he? So was Chinoke-chan and Zucken-san. Weren't they? So Elliot was left confused.

"We need to warn the pack!" But before ne could move there was a swish and ne had to jump back to avoid a kunai which embedded itself into the tree trunk. Ne spun around a bit to glare at the shinobi who'd thrown the kunai, teeth bared in a snarl. Elliot blinked and with wide eyes watched as the Nara-Uzumaki child seemed to become much more intune with nir Uzumaki heritage.

Hands blurred as both Zurasu and the stranger made rapid signs and then in synch called out their separate jutsu.

"Suiton: Ryūsuisō!"

"Doton: Doryūsō!"

Spears of the ground flew at them both as water manifested itself as a spear for Zurasu who leapt at the foreigners and slashed. Elliot was forced to jump and dodge bouncing further away as the entire field changed.

"Suiton: Sandan no Jutsu" Zurasu shouted launching a series of bullets at the shinobi who didn't manage to dodge them all. Landing back on a branch ne looked directly at Elliot and shouted. "Get Alpha... no... Get Rhyli"

"Got it!" Elliot moved bounding through the treetops and trying to ignore the sounds behind xem. Xe could only hope that Zurasu knew what ne was doing. And xe wished that xe could be of more help. But Zurasu had looked serious, which was really different from the way that ne usually was. Zurasu rarely got motivated.

It was terrifying. So was Rhyli...

So for the moment Elliot only ran.

* * *

"Let's get serious then. You threw the first shot." Zurasu spoke with words chosen with care. "Now that Elliot is safe..." ne grinned and opened both eyes up a strange glow lighting in them. "I suppose that it would only be fair to show you why you shouldn't have done that."

The shinobi narrowed their eyes before gasping and asking.

"What... what are you?"

"Me? Oh, I'm just part of the _Animi Pack_!" ne said nir shadow stretching and twisting arching out behind and around nem. "And you made a small error of judgment attacking first. Now, you're within the range of my jutsu." Ne grinned and then threw a hand forwards and the shadows followed.

The attacker moved to dodge along with their team mates who had finally noticed that there seemed to be a problem. Zurasu simply grinned and tilted nir head before fisting both hands and crossing them over nir chest. Dark laughter followed and ne moved them both to nir sides and then moved from nemself. The shadows as always followed nem and the shinobi's companions were only just barely lucky enough to avoid getting caught in the wild jutsu. In the wild attack that Zurasu was pulling.

Gone was the Nara laziness. It was gone, replaced with the wildness that betrayed the other half of Zurasu's heritage. Nir Uzumaki heritage.

"HERE I COME!" Ne shouted fist flying forwards and the shinobi only just got their arms up to block. Both participants were thrown back and Zurasu grinned crimson hair loosening from the spikey ponytail that it was usually kept in. Also the fluffy light tan fur across nir entire body seemed to puff up a bit. Becoming more obvious as the fight went on. As the shadows danced around nem and kept the other members of the shinobi's team from interfering at all. "You should really have picked your battle better."

The shinobi's eyes narrowed and they lowered their head to glower at Zurasu.

"Doton: Iwadeppō no Jutsu" Zurasu barely moved to dodge the flying boulders before moving forwards once more. Before forcing nir opponent into what was effectively a taijutsu match. There was no time for either of them to catch a break and form hand seals. Not even simple ones. Zurasu kept moving and dancing just out of the enemies range while throwing kicks and punches that were almost too fast for the shinobi to keep up with.

Alpha really had trained them well. Dodging and speed were their main priorities. But that meant nothing if they couldn't fight back.

And the shinobi was getting frustrated. So were their squad mates.

"This has gone on long enough!" Zurasu skid to a stop and rapidly made hand signs. "Munashii: Kurayamino Nakawosenkai" ne seemed to disappear completely and the foreigner looked around rapidly trying to locate nem as the shadows rose and circled. And then all the shadows plunged down onto the shinobi who didn't even have a chance to scream as they were engulfed. Zurasu reappeared on a branch just as Rhyli zoomed onto the scene laughing in absolute glee and going pretty much straight for the jugular with the other five members of the shinobi's unfortunate squad.

Alpha showed up moments later eyes glowing in tandem. The left glowed emerald with magic and the right red with a pattern in it. Charka and the Sharingan. Alpha barred his own teeth at the shinobi and rose a hand gathering energy there. It was automatic, it was visible and the black haired boy grinned at the way that the few who hadn't already been killed by Rhyli within the first few seconds blanched.

"Jujutsu: Convellere"

And the ground seemed to explode. Shattering beneath the feet of the foreigners. Yet the caravan was left unharmed. If anything it was protected the entire time. And Alpha tilted his head before looking up and over at Zurasu who was now back to nir usual stance. Lazy and half-asleep. Ne shrugged and jumped down shoving hands into pockets in nir jacket.

Rhyli looked up from where she was standing in a pile of bodies and grinned holding up the hitai-ates that had once belonged to the shinobi. Iwa. The Iwagakure symbol, which caused Alpha's eyes to narrow.

"Of course it would be Iwa... Zurasu..." he looked over at the lazy child who shrugged. "Elliot and Erika will accompany you. Get the caravan through the rest of our territory safely and then leave it." hands clasped and ne shrugged.

"Of course Alpha."

* * *

Zurasu was different. Always had been and always would be. From the very first moments that ne had breathed in the air ne had known that ne was different. As ne'd grown ne had never quite been able to tell why, the other children around nem had always had so much energy, so much life and so much power. Ne had been left in the dust though.

And then ne'd been taken. A walk had led to someone following nem so ne'd sped up only to end up moving too far away from safety. From home, wherever home was. After that had been the tests and further changes and differences until now. Until ne'd been saved by the one who the pack called Alpha. And not just because the boy was their alpha, but because that was the name that they had chosen to call the boy by since he was otherwise without one.

Zurasu liked Alpha, ne liked the way that the boy never argued with nem about the weird way that ne considering nemself. About the fact that ne didn't feel like a boy. That ne didn't want to be a boy, or a girl. That ne was just Zurasu and nothing else.

So when told to guard the caravan and guide it down the route and out of the pack's territory ne didn't argue. Ne didn't try to avoid it or get out of it. It was only fair after all. Ne'd been the cause of the caravan losing it's original guards after all. What ne did want to complain about though was the inclusion of Erika, and of Elliot.

One was an airhead. Scatterbrained and idiotic, Erika was nothing more than trouble. Oh sure the boy who appeared as a girl never meant to cause trouble but he'd been damaged by the experimentation preformed on him. Damaged irreparably and often was more of a liability to the pack rather than an asset. Of course, the boy also seemed to look up to nem for whatever reason, so Zurasu tolerated them. And maybe, maybe ne just liked them. Not that ne'd ever admit that one aloud except to Alpha. It just wasn't something that needed to be said.

As for Elliot. Xe was a child, bright eyed and innocent. And almost completely helpless in any sort of fight. At least for the moment. Ne knew that with time and training the kitsune child might one day be something to behold. Something to truly fear, but for the moment taking Elliot anywhere that was close to the boundary of the pack's territory was just asking for trouble. And the people who they were inadvertently guarding were not making it easy.

Going on and on about how cute and adorable Elliot was. Calling xem such a precious little girl. Couldn't they see how that unsettled and made Elliot uncomfortable. Even Erika knew not to refer to Elliot as a girl. And not to refer to nem as a boy.

These outsiders didn't, and it made them both uncomfortable as their identities were completely ignored. Pushed aside and they were forced to conform to the more 'normal' views of gender. Even Erika was getting some of it, a child of the caravan getting him and saying how amazing _she_ was. It irked nem and ne found that ne constantly wanted to just engulf them all in shadows. Send them straight to the void and be done with this entire thing.

But ne didn't and at the end, at the boundary of the pack's territory ne was glad that ne didn't. As the caravan stopped and gave them as payment a crate of food. Of baked goods, and fruit, of rice and some fish. And also a fair amount of cloth and loose blankets. And some ryō, which was honestly useless to the pack but ne accepted it anyway to avoid being rude.

Elliot waved as they left and then glowered along with Erika.

"Those people were so rude Zurasu-nii... I hope that we never have to do that again." Elliot grumped and ne had to agree with xem.

"Agreed they didn't stop to consider anything aside from their own welfare." Ne said and then looked over to their payment "although I suppose that they were pretty generous in the end. It seems that for a few days at least we may have a surplus."

"Yay! Good food and this is so soft." Erika grinned at them from where he was with a piece of the cloth wrapped around him and a huge grin on his face. "Ne... Zurasu-san, can I carry the stuff back?" he asked and the lazy teen closed nir eyes to consider it for a moment before nodding nir head.

"Yeah."

"Alright!" Erika jumped up and punched a fist into the air before considering and with a grin brought his hands together into a rather recognizable sign and shouted out.

"Kage Bunshin!"

There were now four Erikas. Two of them grabbed the crate of food to carry it back. One of them bounced around looking for anything that might have seemed out of place. And the last one, the _real one_ remained in place grinning at them both. Elliot stared with such wide awe filled eyes and a huge beaming grin while ne just sighed and shook nir head.

"Let's just get back to the den okay."

"Hai!"

* * *

Alpha was worried. There was no reason for his worry he just was. After the day that the pack had he should have been feeling much better. Their territory was safe, it was secure and they had gotten rid of the Iwagakure ninja foolish enough to attack first. Then they had moved the civilians out of their territory, yet still he felt worry.

An anxiety that he just couldn't place.

So he looked up at the almost full moon and watched it. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, when he opened them back up, the right was now red, with a design of three stretched triangles evenly spaced around the pupil that each curve at the top around the eye to form a circle. The left remained the same green, but glowed eerily in the moonlight with some otherworldly power.

He continued to watch the moon. And finally, eventually he fell asleep there.

And in the darkness of the forest's floor a shadow stirred and opened up glittering golden eyes.

" _Well isn't this interesting?"_


	5. Chapter 5

_Screaming echoes around him and he can barely see anything in front of him. He can't see anything. He can't see, nothing but a swirl of bright colours that make his head spin and his magic twist to try and follow. It hurts so much and he tugs at whatever is restraining him trying to break free. That mad man might be back soon. Of course, even if he is able to escape he probably won't be able to get far._

 _It's a bit hard to really escape when you can't actually see what you're doing._

 _Yet he still feels it the moment the restraints slip and then he's moving. Running down a path that he only knows is there because he hasn't hit any walls yet. And then he's in an open area. There's fire at his feet, and the place is awash with an orange glow. He's forced to raise his hands to shield himself and he can hear echoing laughter. Of course it's a test, it's always a test. Here it's always a test so he takes a deep breath able to smell the flames and the heat as it washes over him._

 _What's the point? He can't see._

 _He can't see but he can still feel, can still sense and that's really all he needs. He can feel it as his body shifts itself ever so slightly. Feel the ears that flicker under his hair and the tail that swishes out behind him. He can feel it as the flames start roaring and then he moves. Sliding easily between and even through them. He's fireproof, orange dances around him and his heart sings in a way as he lands and rolls bringing his hands up a bit just in time to deflect something, and then he's grabbing a wrapped pole and swinging in around hearing the slosh of water and hiss of fire as it goes out._

 _His vision is slowly clearing and he can feel his magic ebb and flow, pulsing and clearing up the lingering effects of the drugs they'd put in him earlier. There's someone standing across from him. Another child, who's wearing glasses, he hears a snap and jumps..._

 _Tumbling down and through a hole that wasn't there mere seconds ago. His hands and feet both flare with Chakra and he catches himself on the wall expression shifting quickly, ears flattening and teeth barred in a snarl. He brings his hands up and together, rapidly moving them into signs for an achingly familiar jutsu._

" _Katon: Gokakyu!" Fire blazes forth and he has to grin as he launches himself through the flames fist flying forwards towards..._

Alpha woke with the sun and a sense of been watched. He blinked and yawned the last traces of the memory fading away incredibly quickly. He remembered the test, it had been one of the earlier ones. Back when he'd still had a lot more of his memory. He hand punched out the guy monitoring his progress right at the end. It had been an accomplishment looking back, but at the time he'd only been trying to get through it as quickly as possible.

He'd been trying to escape.

To get back to... To get back to. Something in him felt like it was shattering because with the return of the memory of that test was the return of another memory.

 _The man's standing in front of him. His hands are behind his back and he glares up defiant. Both eyes narrowing on the man who's simply watching with a bored expression. Uncaring of his actions. Or seemingly uncaring anyway. The man takes a deep puff of the pipe in his mouth before blowing it out right into Freak's face. He coughs at the smoke and the man laughs before standing up and moving around to rest his hand in his hair. Amused, as soon as he is able to escape that amusement will be wiped out._

 _Freak growls, baring his fangs at the man who simply smirks takes another puff before blowing it straight into his face and saying._

" _I don't know why you still try to escape. After all... everyone who cared for you is dead." everything freezes and his eyes go so wide. "Yes that _ girl, you oh so special Sensei and the _ boy as well. No one will be waiting-"_

" _SHUT UP! Stop lying! I know they're alive!" he growls throwing his head back and trying to ignore the pain in the back of his head and the wet trails that slide down his cheeks. "They're stronger than..."_

" _Oh. And how could you be sure. After all... You can't." He closes his eyes. "Oh but I can show you... Do you want to see their cold, dead bodies?" the man grabs his chin and forces him to meet his eyes. He whimpers and the man laughs._

He quickly shook the memory away. He didn't want to remember seeing the corpses that they'd brought in. He didn't. He really didn't. They weren't... they had to be alive. But that memory reminded him that some of those faces that his mind kept showing him, some of those faces might have been dead. Are dead. He growled and moved his hands to cover his ears as he tried not to break down.

He could still feel someone watching him. He opened his eyes back up and looked around from his position in the tree.

He couldn't see anything that was immediately out of place. Much like when he'd been at the lake the day before. This time though, he refused to just dismiss it. He absolutely refused because this tree was just in front of the cave where the rest of his pack were resting. He looked around and then stood up hand resting on the trunk of the tree. His magic curled within him along with his chakra.

He looked around again, before jumping down.

He landed with a small puff of dust from beneath his feet and straightened up. His eyes narrowed and he sniffed the air, chakra focusing to his nose. There was definitely someone else there, he snarled and moved, chakra flaring as he spotted something black slide across the ground. Whatever it was it was alive, a living shadow. And it was dangerous, he knew that. Was instinctively aware of it. Yet he still ran after it. Chased it away from the cave.

Away from the rest of his pack. He leapt and darted around bushes and shrubs before skidding to a stop in a clearing. He looked around and saw a glimmer gold in the corner. He paused and straightened again narrowing his eyes at the glimmer. And then it rose, up and out of the ground.

Something was wrong.

Something was very wrong and now he was aware that he'd followed after this thing all alone. He was alone with something that just felt wrong. He backed up several steps as the thing grinned at him forming into the shape of a human. But it felt wrong. It felt like death, and despair.

He backed away even further as it crept forwards and out of the shadows.

" **Hello Uchiha!"** it greeted him and he frowned. Uchiha? Was that his name? No... it didn't quite fit. It felt half right though, as if that were attached to him, but he didn't think that was his given name. If anything.

"Is that... Is that my surname?" he had to ask, the curiosity ate at him. The being barred a goopy grin at him and then stretched to a full height and spread it's arms out as though amused. Amused by him, or by something else he didn't know. But that was an affirmation. He tried it. "Uchiha Alpha... Huh... that actually kind of feels... I don't know..." well he'd take it. "What exactly are you... And why are you here?" he asked as the thing moved forwards again forcing him backwards and away.

" **Me? Oh I'm just here to offer you a way to change everything!"** the being grinned again and rose up. It was definitely taller than him, and he had the feeling that even if he tried to run. He wouldn't be able to escape on his own. **"As for what I am. Well I'm a being from..."**

"You're an eldrich horror is what you are!" He cut the creature off with a raised hand and narrowed eyes. He weaved his magic around himself and growled, he could feel his animal forms howling at the creature. Yet simultaneously they begged him to flee, to run away. Because this thing was clearly stronger than him. It had cut him away from the pack and gotten him alone on purpose. He was wary. "Also who said anything about. Wanting..." he paused "to... change... Uh..."

Darkness rose around them and he could feel it as his magic reacted. He had to move. Things happened so quickly that he really wasn't quite sure what was actually going on. One moment he was talking the next simply ducking through a gap and then he was running on all fours as a jackal through the woods. The thing was still right after him, almost literally on his tail. He snarled and ran faster, faster.

He wasn't fast enough to lose it. Abruptly it was ahead of him and he shifted back to human to scramble up a tree and glare at it ears still visible and flattened against his head tail straight out and sort of curled in anger.

He growled.

"What do you even want with me?" defensive, hands curling fangs bared as it laughed low and dark.

" **That's simple-"**

"GET AWAY FROM OUR ALPHA!" that decided it, his pack was the best. A flash of claws, a scaly arm, a hand with a spike through it, Chinoke with a frypan, and Elliot who's tail was puffed right up. Zurasu may not have been right in the center but the lazy child was still there. All of them, the whole pack were there. They all glared at the creature that hissed and darted towards him only.

"Kagemane Success!" Zurasu stated nir hands in front of nem clasped in a somewhat familiar sign. "Now... why don't you explain exactly why you were going after our Alpha?" ne asked tilting nir head while Elliot managed to puff xemself up even more if that were possible and Chinoke absently swung the pan around.

Rhyli looked a touch more bloodthirsty than usual he absently noticed as he looked around at each member of his team. Zucken's hands were twitching and the girl looked pissed, Erika was right beside her with an uncharacteristic snarl on his face. Normally the boy was pretty chill, happy go lucky like an oblivious child. But it was to be expected. No one messed with the pack.

He stood back up and brushed himself off and turned to the shadow being.

Was it any wonder that Zurasu had managed to trap it so successfully in nir shadow. It was nothing more than a shadow itself, just with eyes.

" **You fools know nothing!"** It hissed at them, eyes darting around the clearing. Glittering gold that shone ominously in a sea of black. **"Tsuki no Me is the only way peace will be achieved. Only that Uchiha can do it... and only with my guidance. Aren't you furious, over what that man done to you all? Don't you want to show the world that you won't let that happen again!"**

This sounded strangely familiar. It was like something he'd heard before. He didn't like it and his fists clenched at his sides yet before he could really say anything Zurasu spoke before him.

"None of us want your lies." ne said hair falling free to shadow nir face. "We may one day want to create peace... or a kind of peace. But we already have it. Here with the pack. We don't need the rest of the world!" The Nara stated crossing nir arms over nir chest and forcing the shadow to do the same.

"Yeah! Here the Animi Pack doesn't need your revolution!" Elliot agreed mimicking the older child.

"Tch. If you think that we're going to fall for honeyed words then you're out of luck **Kuro** , we're alright right where we are!" Chinoke stated while Rhyli barred sharp teeth from where she was.

" **But how long do you think that you could possibly stay hidden here? Not long enough. People will ask questions. They'll come looking and then your peace will end and you'll find yourselves in the same place again. A cage locked up waiting for endless tests!"**

"LIAR!" Erika shouted dramatically pointing a finger in the creatures direction.

"So what if we do!" Zucken said in the same moment, leaves swirled around the group. "We still won't listen to you!"

"What you're trying to do..." Alpha finally spoke and the rest of the pack stepped backwards as he walked forwards. "It's familiar... Someone once tried to get me to join them" he turned around and waved a hand in the air. "They were the one who had killed my parents, and they turned and offered me... 'We could rule the world together. There is no good and evil, there is only power...and those too weak to seek it.' and do you know what? I refused back then..." he lowered his head to look down at a disturbed pile of dirt. "So what makes you think... What makes you think that I would accept it now?"

He spun around and glared at the being, his whole team joining him.

He looked around at his pack. The Animi Pack. This was home and even if their peace ended, they would not turn around and accept anything from this being that felt so wrong. It grinned and that made him widen his eyes. None of them had a chance to react though as the air seemed to blast out and they were all sent flying into the trees around the clearing.

Rhyli was the only one who seemed relatively unbothered by that and the seventeen year old merely brushed a bit of dust off herself before rushing back towards the being. She grinned all her teeth sharp and the being was gone, moving faster than her. And it threw her backwards once more this time slamming her into a rock.

"Rhyli!" Elliot screamed eyes wide before yelping as the being turned on xem. "Alpha HELP!" Alpha blinked and moved eye spinning into the sharingan and then the Mangekyo in rapid succession as he shielded his pack member. Trees and plants arched around him as well and he barred his teeth trying to remember something anything to use against this being.

He only recalled so much magic and jutsu after all.

"Jujutsu: Derigui!" He shouted just barely in time. The thing froze, or at least slowed down for long enough that he could use Apparition. He looked around and then motioned for the whole pack to follow him. They had to get away. That thing was too dangerous for them to hang around too long. But still he paused and then took a deep breath, he had to try something else. He brought his hands up and closed his eyes.

Remembering hand signs was easy, putting them in a new pattern... Saru, Ne, Mi, Saru, Inu, Mi, Tatsu. His eyes glowed and he clapped his hands together feeling his magic mix with his chakra and then he grinned as the being slid towards him. "Vacivaton: Tenebra Cecidi Hateshiganai Munashii!" The beings eyes widened for a single moment before it was engulfed by the mixture of magic and chakra. He could feel as it fought against the jutsu and actually winced a bit.

Yet he grit his teeth and pushed with all his might darkness swirled around them and then he heard a voice call out from behind him.

"Munashii: Kurayamino Nakawosenkai"

The darkness spun even higher and then it crashed inwards and he felt something snap within him. He collapsed and there was shouting all around him. He could feel his vision swim and he struggled to push himself up only to flop over and everything went dark.

* * *

Chinoke could have facepalmed as she watched the small child collapse. She could've facepalmed, but instead she only sighed and walked forwards. She was the oldest of the group, eighteen almost nineteen and yet she wasn't the leader. That was Alpha, oh sure she could have been the leader. But really the position didn't interest her. So instead she let the thirteen(almost fourteen) year old claim it. It suited him honestly. Just like the rest of the packs positions suited them.

Rhyli was their beserker in a way. Always the first one in a fight and easily the most blood thirsty member. The seventeen year old was hard to dismiss or control really.

Erika was certainly unique as well, she watched the fourteen year old boy as he bounded ahead of them. He was useful as a scout, and maybe a bit scatterbrained but he knew how to survive if anything else, and a surprising amount of knowledge about poisons and edible food. She trusted the food that he foraged more than she trusted ten year old Zucken's choices of food anyway.

Zucken much like Rhyli was one of the packs fighters. But not in the same way. Physically weak Zucken tended to attack using the world against whoever her opponent was, mind games and tricks not to mention her abilities. Interestingly enough she read as a strategist to Chinoke.

Zurasu was hard to place, the fourteen year old typically choosing to be lazy and spend nir day up a tree catching a quick nap, or off in the forest chatting with some of the wild deer, or deer cousins. Ne was a tracker really, and went on all the packs hunts, never really getting involved. Chinoke knew though, she knew that ne could fight if needed. And ne could fight well.

Elliot of course was the youngest of the pack, all of fie years old the child didn't really have a place yet. So the whole pack focused on teaching xem how to live in the forest. How to survive while letting xem enjoy xir childhood as much as xe could.

It was an interesting thing really. It suited them... As for herself, she served as the Pack Mom, and their doctor. Or a rough match of one anyway. She knew enough about patching wounds to keep them all together anyway as they walked back to the Cave. They still had enough food stashed away to serve them well for a few days if it took Alpha that long to recover. As it was though, they had all learned some things from their encounter with Kuro. About each other, but especially about Alpha.

So he'd encountered something like that creature before.

She was... not all that surprised honestly. The boy just had that feel to him. He attracted trouble to him. Like bees to honey and moths to a flame. She could only hope that it wouldn't come around to burn them all in the end.

Eventually they all reached the cave once more and she looked around at the pack. They were all worried, even if Rhyli was trying to look indifferent, the reptilian teen gave herself away by glancing their way every few moments.

"We just need to let him rest for a while!" Chinoke stated in an attempt to reassure them.

"Alpha will be okay right Chinoke-sama!" Elliot asked hands clasped together in front of xem. She smiled softly down at the child and knelt to xir lever before ruffling xir hair.

"Of course Elliot-kun! Of course Alpha-dono will be fine." she stood back up and looked at the rest of the pack. "We need to let him rest and make sure that he takes care of himself. It's only a mild case of Chakra Exhaustion after all." with a side of Magical Exertion but she didn't need to explain that too them. They didn't need to know.

After all, Alpha only needed to sleep for a little while. Then she could scold him. And hopefully, Kuro would stay away for longer this time... She didn't feel like chasing the being off again.


	6. Chapter 6

Zurasu rested in a tree, nir head against the trunk and nir eyes closed. Honestly ne was just pretending to sleep, because actually sleeping would be a bit tricky. Alpha, four days later was still unconscious. The pack leader had yet to wake, and it was a bit of a problem to put it lightly. And the lightly furred teen wanted nothing to do with the brewing storm that Elliot kept making worse by asking the same question over and over again.

Ne didn't even open nir eyes when ne heard the small voice ask the question for the fifth time just that day. Would Alpha be awake in time for xir birthday.

That birthday was only another four days away.

It grated on the half-Nara's nerves, because ne didn't know what to do in this situation. Zurasu was used to listening to orders. From the man who'd kept them all prisoner before, and before that ne had vague memories of a team. A girl who might(or might not have) been nir best friend. A boy who's smile could chase away the nightmares and a sensei who laughed and then ruffled nir hair with a cheerful statement. These memories hurt nem, because ne couldn't grip them tight enough to truly hold onto and own. To truly claim as nir own.

Ne'd always been a follower. Even here and now, ne usually slipped back and let Alpha do all the work, or Chinoke, even Rhyli was given command before ne was.

So ne kept his eyes closed and tried to ignore the chaos that had consumed the rest of the pack. Rhyli up a completely separate tree and ne could feel the bloodlust that she leaked. Zucken was beginning to whine again, complain about who knows what. Erika just danced around the issues, seemingly oblivious and without a care. Ne was sure that the boy was just burying his troubles with the situation. Pretending because ne knew that the child wasn't quite as oblivious as he seemed. Chinoke of course was trying to keep things under control, once more reassuring Elliot that Alpha would wake up soon enough.

None of them could be sure of that though. So ne remained in place and simply breathed feeling the slight breeze as it brushed against nir face and made nir bangs sway a bit. And yet there was a distant extra at the very fringe of nir senses. Eyes snapped open and the next thing Zurasu knew ne was on nir feet head snapping around and fists curling along with lips in distaste.

"Rhyli!" Ne snapped nir head up catching the scaled teens attention. "Something's wrong!" that caught her attention and she straightened up and took several deep breaths probably taking note of every small scent in the air. Before ne could react she hissed and then bound through the treetops soon disappearing.

Ne narrowed nir eyes and gave a quick glance back towards Chinoke. The Kaguya nodded her head before gently guiding Elliot and Erika back into their cave. Zucken though moved to join nem and questions were in the girl's eyes. Ne simply shook nir head though before moving.

They were quiet, silent and swift.

Where they were headed, was less so. In fact as they arrived an explosion of smoke went off and there was a giant toad? What? Zurasu and Zucken both just stopped and stared trying to comprehend what it was that they were seeing. There was a strange white-haired man atop a giant toad, Rhyli had fire in her eyes and it was confusing.

"Okay, what's going on?" the ten year old beside nem asked and Rhyli didn't even glance their way as she snarled at the man.

"Pervert!" that only answered about half of the situation. The other half had to do with why the man was even there. What he wanted, and whether or not they were going to do things the hard way to get rid of him.

"Right..." Zurasu sighed and rolled nir eyes before jumping out of the tree to land lightly beside Rhyli and stare up at the man atop the toad. Also really? Pulling out a giant toad in the middle of nowhere? What was this man's game. If the man had anything to do with Kuro then ne was going to just engulf the man in shadows before he could try anything. Before he could get anywhere near Alpha or anything like that.

Zucken joined them both moments later. Ne looked over at the Kaimetsu child who hummed and then narrowed her eyes and nodded at Rhyli who growled and flexed a hand.

"Hey!" Zurasu finally called out as the toad disappeared and the man now simply stood in front of them. Eyes narrowed and actually judging them. "What business do you have here? This is the Animi Pack's territory!" ne said keeping nir hands very carefully in nir jumpers pockets. No outward signs of any discomfort or fear. This man... he was silly, but there was a sense of strength that hung around him.

"Just investigating!" the man was too cheerful with his reply. "There was a rather large burst of chakra around here just a few days ago. And I was in the area, you wouldn't happen to know about that would you?"

Zurasu narrowed nir eyes and crossed ne's arms over nir chest. Ne didn't believe that the man was just investigating for one moment. It was too easy of an explanation, and it didn't explain the giant toad either. Shadows curled around the group as the half Nara growled. The man's eyes followed their movements and he smirked. Zurasu's lip tilted ever so slightly up at the response.

Seemed like this man was more than what the first impression would indicate. Rhyli simply growled louder, curling her hands and baring her teeth. Ne rolled nir eyes while Zucken tilted her own head in confusion. Rhyli looked over at nem when ne let out a small sound. A smug sound. Ne tilted nir head and looked straight at the white haired man. A small drifting memory, a small sense of familiarity.

* * *

" _Are they really heroes?"_

" _Whoa, really?"_

" _The only ones to survive, I don't believe it."_

" _Hey sensei... do you think that we'll ever meet them? I mean they sound cool!"_

" _Tch... troublesome more like..."_

" _Don't be like that Zurasu... after all they're the Sannin, and they're heroes!"_

* * *

"The Toad Sage..." ne said and the man blinked. Both girls turned their heads to nem, back to the man and back to nem. "The Gallant Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, renowned Pervert, and wannabe Author..." ne said waving a hand in a circle. Rolling nir eyes ne crossed both arms over nir chest again. Closed eyes and a deep breath, shadows curling creeping even closer. "What are you doing here. The Animi Pack has nothing that would interest Konoha!"

"And yet you know who I am!" Jiraiya said. Nir eyes snapped back open, and ne glared at the man. Jiraiya wore a half smirk, and slightly narrowed eyes. Calculation. It looked wrong on the man's face, ill fitting. Zucken and Rhyli both moved closer to nem and Rhyli flashed her claws and teeth. Zucken on the other hand rose both her arms, the spikes on the back of her hands looking incredibly sharp with the barest hints of sunlight glinting off them.

Hands curled just ever so slightly at nir sides and eyes narrowed meeting the toad sage's one. The stand off continues like that for several long moments before Rhyli howled in fury. The reason was obvious, Jiraiya's eyes had drifted down to her chest.

Zurasu grabbed Zucken and dragged the ten year old to a safer position. Rhyli flew forwards sending dust up behind her. She aimed to break the man's nose, and missed. Jiraiya wasn't one of the legendary ninja for nothing. Still ne felt a pull at his mouth as Rhyli landed on the ground growling. Blue chakra swirled visibly in the air around the scaled teen as she barred her teeth at the Sannin and Zucken peered around the tree curiosity filling her eyes.

"This will be entertaining..." Zurasu said crossing nir arms and smirking. Zucken looked at nem and all the half Nara child did was grin. "Just watch." ne said and so she sat down to simply observe.

Rhily was seeing red. Everything was red, with outlines to define where things were. Crimson dripping over the world. The only difference was _that man_ he was in grey. A target. She growled and barred her teeth, curling her hands and unsheathing her claws. How dare he just come here acting the way he was. Without Alpha to tell her no she was going to enjoy this. No limits, no reservations.

Just a single target and burning red hot fury.

She howled, and raced forwards, a roaring in her ears. Gone, the man was gone and she screamed in fury and confusion. Where was he. A small sound and her head snaps around to see him there. Hiding in the bushes won't work, not when she can see him so obvious in grey compared to the crimson. A vicious grin spread over her face and she growled. Chakra gathering around her in a halo of blue that also stood out in stark contrast to the red.

Blue like the other members of her pack. _Her family._ This man was a danger to them. He didn't belong.

So she leapt at him again. Only a fist meets her stomach and she lets out a pained sound as she flew back crashing through a couple of trees and eventually skidding to a stop. She growled and glared up at the man. She pushed herself up onto all fours and snarled. The man seemed amused and that hiked up her fury even more.

And there was something else. Pure white against the crimson backdrop. Being forced back by a bolt of blue, shadow tendrils that danced over the ground. It was out of the corner of her eye and she stopped, her fury switching targets in a moment as her head snapped around to glare at the being. Sharpened teeth bared and a howl that tore it's way from her throat. She charged ignoring the man at the sight of the white being.

It became goo under her hands and she could feel Zurasu's relief as the shadows drew back and surrounded nem. Her attention returned to the man...

"HE'S GONE!" Rage spiked even higher. Crimson bled brighter, a deep breath and there he was. She snarled and charger through the underbrush, barely keeping track of her two pack mates. Zurasu managing to keep up, and Zucken swinging overhead. She leapt, only to slam into a log that was immediately diced. "Stop playing games!" she howled at him eyes narrowing and clawed hands twitching.

Chinoke and Elliot were right there.

The cave was right there.

She could sense Alpha. Still sleeping, still recovering. This man was clearly after something, or someone. Considering that the last stranger they had fought had gone after Alpha she wasn't risking anything.

Hands blurred into seals and she felt the rising energy within her. The power at her fingertips.

"Doton: Boukun Kiba!" The man's eyes actually widened and he leapt back as the ground practically exploded creating a weird skull around her with sharp jaws that snapped shut to try and crush him. She snarled at it's failure but didn't even pause in her seals. "Futon: Akuma no Chissoku"

Wind howled and the man momentarily got caught. Gasping for breath in the power of the jutsu. In that moment Zucken leapt in, swiping with her spikes, and the man burst. Dust and dirt and both of them simply stared for a moment in blank shock.

Until the clang of a fry pan rang out. A yell, and another rush of wind.

"Futon: Torquere Irrupi" Elliot cried out xir voice loud and clear over the howling winds that swirled into a sphere, winding faster and faster, just barely giving the pack enough time to duck down before it exploded outwards in winds that sliced and cut the surrounding area causing more than a few of the trees around them to topple.

And yet the man still got back up.

Still was going strong. Zucken growled and Erika popped up from his hiding place with narrowed eyes. Chinoke rose her fry pan again, Rhyli flashed her teeth and Elliot's tail fluffed.

Yet Zurasu merely frowned, narrowing nir eyes sure, but more than that ne was thinking.

"Sannin..." ne muttered and heard a chuckle from right beside nir. Ne jolted a bit before slowly turning nir head to see the man right there on the branch beside nem. "Tch... troublesome." ne sighed and moved nir hands in a familiar pattern.

One that anyone from Konoha would recognize. The man laughed.

"A Nara are you?"

"Kagemane no Jutsu!" ne finished the jutsu and the man allowed himself to get caught. Ne could feel it, and the man's power just in his shadow. "What do you want?" ne asked, hands remaining in the final seal. Ne would hold it as long as ne could. Until ne was unable to anymore. "What here could possibly interest one of the Sannin. The Animi Pack has done nothing of note... we only live here..." ne spoke calmly despite rising anxiety.

The man was so relaxed, so casual, and yet if he wanted to he could destroy the entire pack without even breaking a sweat. Had been destroying the entire pack without breaking a sweat.

"Well that's the interesting thing. Imagine this, you're traveling around, when you hear reports of strange wild children. Then you find signs of a battle, and an abandoned lab... And you recognise something there..." Zurasu blinked and he noticed that the man's smile seemed to grow just that tiny bit. "Something that belongs to someone who by all rights should be dead..."

"So all of us then..." Zurasu stated dryly able to hear Rhyli shiting in the background, and out of the corner of nir eye was able to see Chinoke stand back up and grab her fry pan again. "But that doesn't answer the question..."

"Doesn't it?" the man asked before breaking the kagemane and leaping out of the way of Rhyli and Chinoke as they charged in. Zurasu sighed and shook nir head before jumping down to land on the ground with a small puff of dirt.

"Suiton: Yasei Isoi de Nami!" Wide eyes and most of the pack on the ground leapt right back into the trees, although Chinoke actually closed off the cave instead as Erika used his jutsu. Water that flooded the area and rose up before rapidly rushing forwards.

And the man just thrust out a palm after rapidly making a series of seals and split it. Into two rushing streams that went around him.

"Oh..." Erika actually flopped back over disappointed while Zucken jumped down and landed beside him. She shifted her stance and glared at the man. Who was looking at the rocks that shifted and lowered back into the ground to reveal the cave intact. Chinoke stood there with narrowed eyes and chakra that blazed around her.

It was more or less end game.

And there was only one way for it to end.

The man slowly clapped, smiled and that was really the last thing that any of them registered before falling unconscious.

* * *

 **Notes:** Just fuck Jiraiya... Why's he so hard for me to write... also if you can't tell, I kind of began to give up by the end... Well, things will make sense a bit more next chapter I hope... But still FUCK Jiraiya!


	7. Chapter 7

White walls.

Faint beeping noises that sounded in the background.

Wires and a mask that fit around his face.

Small pads against his body, and the scent of chemicals.

This wasn't the pack's cave. This wasn't the forest with the river just within hearing distance. This wasn't right! As he gained more clarity he also found that he could hear voices, and feel too many people and strangers around.

Eyes blinked themselves open and darted around the room. Machines, with lines of numbers and lines that pulsed. Text that scrolled over the screens, but he couldn't... He wasn't going to stay there.

Not with all the wires.

Not with all the chemical scents.

Not with the monitors on him.

Not like this...

A pulse of energy burst out from him and he didn't wait. Feet touched down on linoleum and he dashed right through the wall, and onto the tree branch that was right there. A leap, a bound and he's dashing over roof tops. Only stopping to reorientate himself and locate his Packmates' signatures. A feral growl tore it's way from his lips when he realized that they were back in that place.

Eyes narrowed and he felt the shift.

Fur, and ears, tail. All fours, and he howled. Head lowered back down and he moved. Streets to his left and the right and buildings that change beneath his feet. Leaping over gaps and moving faster than anyone could possibly follow. Until he reached the building again, and he leapt through the air, shifting back to human within moments.

Open window, down halls that all looked the same. Only stopping when he found his pack. Rhyli and Zurasu were both the only members awake. Rhyli with a snarl on her face and Zurasu merely maintaining a bored expression. He grinned at his pack mates before faltering, there was another presence. Rhyli growled as the door opened and a man with a clip board walked in.

There was a single long moment where nothing happened. Before he growled and slipped into a more defensive stance and the man dropped the clip board and simply ran. None of them give chase, instead he only tears away the restraints and motions to the window. Zurasu nodded turning nir gaze to the still unconscious members of the pack, Rhyli though grumbled.

"Rhyli..." the word was soft, low and she stopped. "Let's go..." he was actually getting kind of twitchy. Fuzzy recollections and feelings that rose within him now that his head was a little clearer. Now that things were slowing down and he was surrounded by his pack. But first they still needed to get out of this place. "To the forest!" he commanded and although she huffed Rhyli followed.

Zurasu grumbled as the half Uzumaki child passed him and left through the window. He didn't instantly follow them, instead moving to assist the other members of the pack. Elliot blinked at him with wide eyes, while Zucken instantly tore herself from the bed she had been bound to and assisted Erika when he struggled, smacking his face on the floor. Chinoke silently stood before nodding her head, she took Elliot by the hand and helped the child out the window.

"Head towards the forest... the one with the giant fence..." he said, only pausing momentarily to wonder how he knew that it had a giant fence. Elliot's ears abruptly perked up and he snapped his own head around at the sound of footsteps. "GO!" he waved them out of the window and only hesitated to leap out for himself for a single moment.

A familiar face, a lingering drifting thought.

It's not there long enough though, and he moved. Bare feet against tile, stone, and steel. Branches that mixed their way in, the streets that blurred. And something in him sang at this. Sang it's happiness and familiarity with this sensation. In between one leap and the next he shifted again, other signatures approaching. Tail, ears, fur and fangs, he's much quicker on four paws than two feet.

He raced forwards, quickly catching up with his pack, _his family_. Just like... Some part of his mind screeched to a stop at the small hint of silver hair approaching his pack. _Silver_ , a familiar colour, an important colour. Though how it's important he can't quite grasp.

" _I'll show you! I will surpass YOU!"_

His own voice echoed in the back of his head and he felt his eyes close, before he howled and leapt. Returning to human form as he landed in front of his pack. Hands curled, fists bared, teeth flashing, ears and tail still visible for extra intimidation. And...

It's like a punch to the gut.

Silver hair, a mask over the bottom half of a face, single eye and slanted headband... _that's new_ some small part of his mind whispered to him... But why does it feel like this, why would he be able to tell that it's new. And the single eye staring at him widens, with it's own shock. Even as he pushed his own down, instead allowing a growl to rumble through his chest and reverberate in the air.

"Get away from my pack!" He snarled baring his teeth and flickering his tail behind him, ears raising and tilting forwards in response to his emotions.

Agitation that mixed with confusion.

"Obito?" the name slammed into his head, and with it faces, feelings, places and it was a stream of sensation... He screamed, eyes both glowing, the right red shifting and burning, with the power of chakra that rushed and pulsed, the left green like the killing curse with magic that screamed, howled and clawed.

It hurt, and he lashed out with it. Knocking all the other advancing shinobi around them back. Wind whipped around and he could feel his pack's displeasure at his reaction. He could feel their own agitation and fury(in Rhyli's case).

"Who... Are... You?" he ground out through grit teeth. Tail lashing out behind him and ears pressed right down on his head. The boy(man?) in front of him looked more or less devastated by the question, visible skin flushing white with a sort of horror.

But he didn't care. He just wanted the stream of constant and confusing information to stop. Images of different people, silver hair that mixed with blond and red. Purple and red, brown hair, brown eyes, red vibrant hair... and places that he couldn't remember. Disappointment and pride...

" _Just you watch, as soon as I get my Sharingan! I will surpass you!"_

More echoes of memories that he just couldn't hold onto. He growled and rapidly shook his head before snapping around.

"It doesn't matter... Let's just go!"

"Wait!"

He doesn't, instead quickly moving with his pack. Gone before the other boy can even stretch out a hand. Just gone...

* * *

Alpha rested in a tree, this wasn't their forest. It wasn't the Animi Pack's territory but it was close enough so he rested in a tree. Eyes closed as he simply breathed in the air. Attempting to relax and calm himself down. It wasn't quite working and he could still remember the other boy.

The silver hair, bored expression and mask and it chafes him. An itch that he can't reach, a certain familiarity that he can't quite grasp as it slipped through his fingers like smoke over a camp fire. It annoys him, and makes him restless where he sits in the tree. Because he didn't understand why part of him sang and welcomed him home. He didn't understand why this place would be home. He couldn't understand the memories still jumbled and confused and not quite piecing together into a cohesive picture.

At least he still had the pack. At least they were still together and he opened his eyes back up to look out over them.

To reassure himself that they were all there.

 _Training Ground Forty-four, otherwise known as the Forest of Death_

He shook his head rapidly at the drifting thought, the drifting memory. He didn't want to wonder how he knew what this place was called, besides the name didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that it was safe for the pack. This was a place that they could rest and be safe.

The animals would protect them from any who would attack them.

"Hey Alpha..." he looked up at the small voice and tilted his head. Elliot smiled at him, a bright grin that showed all of xir teeth. "Tomorrow's my birthday!" xe cheerfully informed him and Alpha had to snort.

"I'm well aware Elliot..." he smiled indulgently at the five year old. "Seems like I awoke just in time right." Elliot rapidly nodded xir head and he stood up on the branch. "Guess we'll have to do something really special... Maybe to do with your own Jujutsu..." he mused and grinned when he saw the way that the child's tail start to wave from side to side.

"Really?"

"No..." Chinoke's stern voice broke in and he sighed sitting back down on the branch with his legs dangling. The older teenager walked into view with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"Give the kid a break Chinoke..." Alpha sighed rolling his eyes. "It's xir special day tomorrow. And I'll only teach xem something small, like Lumos, or Expelliarmus." he shrugged, before leaning back with his back against the bark.

"Oh..." Chinoke turned her glare on him and he huffed.

"I mean, it's only because xir going to be six. Best to start early..." he stated with a shrug before resting his hands on the branch. "Of course, xe won't be joining us for the scouting, for recon and information gathering..." he frowned and stood up. Which caught the attention of the rest of the pack.

Zurasu opened a single eye to focus on him, Zucken stopped dancing around and actually straightened up while Erika stepped forwards and Rhyli(who had been viciously taking her anger out on a tree) stopped and gave a bloodthirsty grin in his direction.

Chinoke sighed and gently led Elliot back as he crossed his arms and examined the members of his pack. _His family_.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and when he opened them again the right eye shone brightly with the sharingan and the left gave off a green glow.

"Zurasu." The half Nara child straightened at the tone of Alpha's voice and looked right at their pack leader. "Erika! You two will be coming with me for reconnaissance." he said clearly and they both nodded.

"Alpha..." He paused and looked back at Zucken who was frowning. The girl hesitated before continuing. "Why did that boy call you Obito?"

There was complete silence as he thought about the question. The honest truth was he didn't quite know the answer to the question. The name sure sounded familiar, felt familiar as well. And it sent a shot of pain and emotions and sensation through his head. Images, places, people, sights and smells, even some flavours.

But...

He didn't know or quite understand the significance. There was nothing to really link him to the name. Where Uchiha had felt right, like it belonged to him... this name wasn't quite the same.

"I... I don't know..." he eventually said looking off to the side annoyed with himself. Because he felt as though he should have known. And it chafed at him, because he didn't. Because he wasn't able to place the name, or make any sense of the images. "..." he paused and ran a hand through his messy hair before hesitantly offering a final thought. "It... it might have been my name once... but..."

"But what Alpha" Elliot asked eyes widening just slightly and he grimaced.

"It... it doesn't feel quite right... It's not that it feels wrong it just..." _Doesn't feel quite like it's my name_. He left the latter part unsaid. It was silent but he knew that at least Chinoke heard it by the sharpness of her gaze on his back. He simply shrugged, for all he knew it might have been because it only felt like half of who he was.

 _Obito_ rang of _Konoha,_ of _Hokage_ and _shinobi_.

That's only half of him. And without the other half it doesn't... doesn't quite feel right, so he left it and just raised his head to look around at the pack.

"Rhyli... I can trust you to find us a good Den right?" he asked and the scaled teen flashed an absolutely vicious grin at him.

"Consider it done!" she crowed before straightening and looking around. "I'll even have it lined with a couple of fur rugs... these saber cats don't seem too tough." he paused for a moment to register what she was talking about, put a bit off balance by the description.

"You mean... You mean the Giant Tigers?" he asked and she flashed her teeth. "Ahh... good luck with that then..."

"Alpha?" He looked at Zucken and Elliot. "What will we do?"

He thought for a moment or two before looking at Chinoke.

"Why don't you help Chinoke-san. Help find edible plants, and maybe forge relationships with the local fauna..."

"We can do that Alpha!" they both stated with shining eyes and he smiled before looking over at Chinoke. She smiled at him and he sighed.

"Also... Chinoke-san... We need medical supplies..." he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "So... maybe you could get Zucken to help you procure some..." if they couldn't find the necessary herbs here in the forest that was. He didn't entirely know what resided in this forest. He only knew it's name, and some of the animals.

The more memorable ones.

He frowned for a moment before the realization hit him and he turned his attention back to Elliot who was happily racing around the clearing proclaiming how xe was going to help them all in the next day. How xir birthday was going to be the best.

"Elliot..." the small fox child skidded to a stop with ears perked up on the top of xir head. "Be careful about the animals that you befriend..." he stated somewhat lamely. "This is called the Forest of Death for a reason." he stated crossing his arms and Elliot blinked up at him before nodding xir head.

He returned to resting in the tree afterwards. Listening to the sounds of his pack as they moved around the clearing. As they settled down ready for the night. He smiled softly to himself as they all settled and sound slowly dulled away to almost nothing. Only the small soft snores of Rhyli, Zucken and Elliot left.

Quiet peaceful noises that let him know that they were secure, that they felt safe where they are.

He sighed and opened his eyes. Stood up on the branch, turned and hopped back towards the village. He paused at the fence and peered through the links. The village was dark and silent, like his pack it was asleep...

Yet it wasn't enough to calm him. So he climbed up and over the fence.

Bare feet over dusty roads, down familiar paths. Though why or how they were familiar eluded him. Wind that swept his hair out of his face and the comforting presence of the moon. It's nice, and he smiled as he walked, simply basking in the sensation of this all being familiar. Basking in the sensation that he knows where he is, and where he's going.

Eventually he slowed down at the gates to some compound.

He looked up and frowned at the symbol.

Red and white, a fan. It seemed so familiar.

 _It's the Uchiha Fan... have the strength to fan the fire..._

 _You sure it's not a joke on our name? Uchiha like Uchiwa the fans..._

The drifting voices made him frown before he stiffened and spun around at a noise in the shadows. He flashed his teeth and stalked forwards only to yelp as something barreled into him.

"Obito-nii!" he hesitated to look down, into bright dark orbs so like his own single one when he didn't have the sharingan active. "I knowed you would come back! You promised me Dango after all!"


	8. Chapter 8

Alpha just stood there. He just stood there with the small child wrapped around him, large round onyx eyes peering up at him. He just stood there. Because he really didn't know what else to do. It was a child, probably the same age as Elliot, so he was not going to just shake them off and run away but also.

 _You promised me dango..._

He could just vaguely remember that. The problem was, he couldn't remember who exactly the kid was, or even what dango was _(some kind of food? A sweet?)_. So he scrunched up his face and scowled at the pain in his head. Before huffing and rolling his eyes.

"Okay... Okay chibi... but uh, you might have to wait for that..." he shuffled as he spoke, heat rising up the back of his neck. "I uh, kind of have a lot to deal with right now..." he hummed before snapping his fingers together. "But uh, it is Elliot's birthday tomorrow... maybe if you come find us we can sort things out then..." Chinoke would know what dango was right? Maybe, he was not sure, but the half thought out almost promise seemed to work. And the small black haired burr removed himself from his side and beamed up at him and...

There's a flash of something, some distant recognition that doesn't last nearly long enough for him to properly grasp it.

So he shook his head and simply watched as the child walked away, back into the compound. He took a breath, shaking his head one last time. One last glance back, and he moved. Swiftly making his way through the village, and back into the forest.

Back to his pack.

Tomorrow was just another day after all, and they were going to get by.

* * *

"Happy Birthday Elliot!" The whole pack gathered around the fivesix year old with wide grinning faces. And the small kitsune child clapped xir hands offering up a huge grin in return. Alpha had to smile at the small child's joy. Despite the fact that there wasn't actually all that much for them to do to actually celebrate the day was special enough just on its own. Elliot's tail wagged before xe paused, looking off to the side in curiosity.

Abruptly Elliot's tail waved in the air even faster and before anyone could react the small child just took off. Whipping around Alpha was just in time to see Elliot full on tackle hug the chibi that he'd ran into the night before. For a full heartbeat, all anyone could do was stare as the second child could only give a wide eyed look that screamed HELP. Alpha looked off to the side before shaking his head just slightly. Amused.

"Well..." he shook his head, before straightening. "Nice of you to join us Chibi!" He said and Elliot finally released the other child, beaming a bright grin. Before grabbing him by the hand and leading him around to introduce to the rest of the pack. Much to the other's reluctance. Alpha can only chuckle before he paused. Taking a moment to sniff the air before tilting his head. The child hadn't come alone. He could tell that much.

There was someone else here.

Someone else was there. So he stepped forwards purposefully, narrowing his eyes just slightly. Leaving Chinoke to watch Elliot and their guest.

"Hello!"

"Who's there?" Zurasu asked stepping up beside him. Still slouched but something in nir eyes telling him that the other was more than ready for a fight if it came to that. Alpha gave nem a small side glance before shaking his head and straightening up. A small attempt to seem taller, he tilted his chin up and crossed his arms.

"I know that you're there! Please come out!" It takes a heartbeat or two, but someone does step out.

Long straight black hair, soft warm black eyes, soft features. A warm smile and some distant sadness in her eyes.

His mind actually stalled for a moment in a rush of clarity, of memories he abruptly straightened, before he coughed and shifted awkwardly.

"Mikoto-hakubo..." he rubbed the back of his head as he spoke awkwardly chuckling. "Uh... nice to see you?" Zurasu blinked from beside him before making a small confused sound. And Mikoto smiled, a small bit of relief in her eyes.

"What?" Zurasu asked snapping nir head around.

"Right!" he straightened himself out, running one hand through his hair once more. Focusing on his Hakubo _(not his Aunt_ , _never Aunt, they're totally two different things, right?)_. "Welcome, I'm sorry the place is such a mess, we haven't really had a chance to properly settle!" He explained before realizing that everyone aside Mikoto were looking at him with wide eyes. Elliot looked like xe was about to ask a question, while Zucken and Erika were both tilting their heads with narrowed eyes. "What?"

"You... remember her?" Zurasu pointed out and Alpha blinked, surprised both by the statement and with himself. He looked back at Mikoto, before returning his focus to the pack and finally he simply shrugged.

"Well, yeah!" he said with a distant smile. "It just wouldn't be proper to forget my Hakubo..." and it wouldn't. But more of it was the sense that honestly it would be worse for him to forget. Something about danger, and fighting and... well he wasn't entirely sure but he knew that he had a deep respect for the rather unassuming women in front of them along with a healthy amount of fear. _An incredibly healthy amount of fear_. Best to tread lightly. Although, he furrowed his brow as Mikoto walked over to talk with Chinoke as caretaker figures. He gazed over at where Elliot was trying to drag the other child into a game and-

He still couldn't remember them.

Except that he knew that they were Mikoto-hakubo's son. So his little itoko... But beyond that, what was the importance of the child? He promised them dango, but what was dango? He still needed to figure that out. Except that he didn't have time because Elliot was making an impressed face with xir tail going a mile a minute before xe charged over with the Chibi right on xir tail.

"Alpha! Alpha! I want dango to!" Elliot shouted waving xir arms around while Chibi shifted just out of reach of xir flailing hands.

"Right..." he said waving one hand with his pointer finger out. "We should... go do that then!" he probably looked like a deer caught in headlights, or the path of a katon: gokayaku. Luckily, or unluckily Mikoto-hakubo took pity on him and stepped in. With a disarming smile that set off some alarm bells blaring in his head. Sirens screaming _abort, abort_.

"How's about... we all go for dango?"

"Can we?" Elliot asked eyes wide and shining. All the rest of the pack glanced at one another, before Alpha shrugged.

"Why not?"

* * *

He regretted.

So, so much.

It had started out simply enough, with them arriving and Mikoto-hakubo monitoring. But since he couldn't remember what dango was, he didn't know what anything on the menu actually was. Zurasu had placed nir order and then minutes later, relaxed between Zucken and Chinoke the fourteen year old had fallen asleep. When the orders had arrived Zucken had snatched most of them along with Erika and Alpha upon trying the flavour he'd ordered found it horrible, disgusting, _the worst_. Why did he come. Meanwhile Elliot was running around and around the table chasing _Itachi_.

Itachi, Itachibi. He was also wondering why he forgot the chibi's name. Probably had something to do with what the man had been doing to them during all his experiments. But, none of that was why he was currently regretting so much.

No.

The _reasons_ for his regret were sitting a couple of tables away all trying to surreptitiously peer over at him. The same silver haired boy from earlier, a brown haired girl and of all things a blond haired man. He could appreciate the fact that the one other person with them, a redhead was not even attempting to be subtle, but was also not looking at him but rather intently studying the still napping Zurasu.

Small victories...

But it was annoying. And he regretted because he knew, he knew that they knew who he was... who he had been before. But for the life of him, he cannot place them. Although they certainly _feel_ familiar. But the way that they're trying to be subtle about their staring is just making him uncomfortable and making him regret coming here with Mikoto-hakubo and the rest of the pack. Even beyond his poor life choices. But it's not like he can easily escape because Mikoto and Chinoke are chatting easily with one another about, kunai? Well, weapons anyway. Chinoke has certainly mentioned her frypan more than once, and Rhyli actually looks as though she may jump into the conversation. So it's probably something along those lines.

He's tempted to pay a bit more attention. But it's a bit hard when he has his focus already divided enough with Elliot and Itachi, Erika and Zucken and the knowledge that they're all been watched.

And then Elliot tripped. Alpha barely thought as he was there between a heartbeat catching the small Kitsune child before xe could even hit the ground.

"Careful!"

"Elliot, are you okay?" Zucken asked, standing up and disturbing Zurasu who yawned before rubbing one eye with a hand. The small fox child merely laughed before jumping and grinning.

"Their fine!" Alpha assured straightening up. Noticing that their watchers were still watching them. He rolled his eyes before huffing out a breath. Sitting down he found one foot tapping against the ground. Even as Elliot restarted xir game with Itachi. Who really seemed like he was merely going along with it for a lack of any idea how to escape honestly. Finally though Alpha decided enough was enough and he tugged on Mikoto's sleeve.

"What is it Obito-chan?"

"Please don't..." its automatically said with an eyeroll. "Do... do you know who they are?" he asked pointing at the group several tables down. They all pulled up their menus except again the redhead who instead gave a cheerful wave. Mikoto's smile dropped for a mere moment, something flashing in her eyes at the sight before it returned. "Mikoto-hakubo?" he asked, tilting his head. She looked down at him and, something softens in her expression.

"Don't worry, they're friends." she said with a smile. "Although, they are being quite annoying right now aren't they?" he nodded his head, understanding that. Yet they still annoyed him and he continued to find that one of his feet tapped itself against the ground. "Don't worry about it Obito-chan..."

"Please... Mikoto-hakubo don't!" he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I just don't feel like... I don't..."

She smiled sadly at him, before shaking her head and returning to her conversation with Chinoke. Meanwhile Zurasu was now returning the redhead's staring with nir own. Before ne stood up and stretched. Shoving nir hands into pockets and easily stepping past the two children as they continued their circle game. Ne turned to Alpha and shook nir head.

"I'm heading back to the camp!" ne said and Alpha nodded his head in understanding. "It's just too noisy here..."

"Says the one who fell asleep!" Erika laughed and Zurasu merely huffed out a breath rolling nir eyes before nodding. "Wait, we're coming!" he added hopping up along with Zucken who nodded her head. Alpha merely waved them on when the three looked at him.

"Don't worry, I'll stick around... keep them under control!"

"Of course!" Zurasu yawned. And with that they left, although Alpha did notice how the half Nara gave the redhead a side glance and a nod as the group passed them. That seemed to be the trigger as she stood up and walked over to them with a huge grin. All he could do was cross his arms and shake his head at her approach. Except that she didn't instantly call to him or anything but instead.

"Mikoto!" she grinned as she spoke. "So who're these ones 'ttebane?"

"Kaguya Chinoke" Chinoke responded easily, with a strained smile. "That's Rhyli! Indominus Rhyli!" Rhyli grinned all teeth and no happiness and Alpha found himself elbowing the taller(and older) teen. Rhyli didn't yelp but merely looked down at him with an even sharper grin. "Itachi is playing with Elliot!" she added and he nodded. But when Chinoke looked at him, she pursed her lips and didn't say anything more.

"And I know him!" The lady nodded, before frowning. "Although 'ttebane. I don't know if you remember us 'ttebane"

Slowly, he shook his head. One arm shifted to rub his arm awkwardly and he looked off to the side. Not quite able to meet the redhead's eyes. He didn't know, he couldn't remember the redhead in front of him. Though _he knew_ , he knew that she was Mikoto-hakubo's friend. That she was someone important, but those memories, the ones attached to the knowledge remained stubbornly shrouded in the fog inside his head. Out of reach, out of place.

But there was also...

" _He's here Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off"_

He winced, raising one hand to his head. A sharp pain, an ache, and he wanted to scream as his head pounded a bad memory playing out.

 _"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"_

 _"Stand aside you silly girl. Stand aside now."_

 _"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead._ _Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy..."_

His eyes snapped back open(when had he closed them), burning with magic and chakra. Tears welled up at the edges of his eyes and he shook his head rapidly.

"Alpha?" Elliot's voice was just enough to make him blink and snap around. The small kitsune child looking up at him with wide red eyes. _Red eyes like..._ he closed his eyes forcing himself to take a deep breath. He couldn't freak out now. "Alpha?"

"Obito-nii?" Itachi asked, something in his voice that caused him to glance at his itoko. But he couldn't focus, the memory was just too much.

"I need... I need to go..." He looked back at the redhead apologetically, there was something in her violet eyes and, his stomach curled because that was wrong... his... she was supposed to... He stepped backwards before turning and fleeing. "I'm sorry..."

He didn't stop in his mad dash until he was well away from any crowds. Until he was deep back into the Forest of Death. Training Ground Forty-Four. He stilled taking deep breaths until his chest stopped hurting before a sob broke from his lips. And that seemed to be the crack in the dam. He choked on a second one before leaning against the closest tree and someone sliding down until he curled himself up in the roots. He wasn't sure how long he spent curled with sobs and trembles wracking his form. Long enough for his tears to run dry and his throat to burn with the tearing force of his emotions.

Long enough for the name to circle around.

 _Harry_. Harry Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived.

Another choked sob that turned into a somewhat hysterical laugh halfway through. His hands curled, fingers digging into his skin, dirt and tugging at the grass. It's insane. Because now he does have both halves. At least his name, _names_ are his own again. But it hurts because he still doesn't have everything, it's only the basics. And it hurts because now he remembers. _He remembers_. They died, and the stupid chill, a racing cold up and down his spine that sank into his very bones.

Made him dizzy and feel faint, the almost view of that room where it happened. The man with glinting red eyes filled with such _loathing_ , such a horrific killing intent and the red hair of his mother, of _Lily_. She stood there, in front of him, refusing to step aside even as that _monster_ gave her the chance, gave her the option. And... that horrible light, the flash of green as vibrant as his single eye and as _her eyes had been_. And that light dying, the pain sharp and acute in his head.

The last moments of happiness ruined.

And he would never remember more from before. Unless they were triggered. Because Harry was gone. Harry was dead and he was now... He was now Obito. He choked on another sob, shaking against the tree and mumbling nonsense to himself. Spells from that school, from the place that he grew to love. That he once called home.

 _But where is home?_

The Animi Pack is home... No, it wasn't. It was just more family. His family, the one's he found. The one he made. And perhaps, for the moment as everything slowly returned and they settled. Perhaps that would be enough.


End file.
